Vacation Day
by Jcthegirl
Summary: The one thing Axel knows about vacation days is that they never go according to plan. Axel/Xion. Giftfic for Taliax.


_A/N: Told you I didn't forget, Taliax 8D Sorry for the lack of updates (and reviewing... I'll get around to that), but I've been quite busy lately and bleh. This has been written for a while, sorry. XD The idea for this was the first thing that came to mind when you mentioned their vacation day.  
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_I apologize if it's not as fluffy as you may have wanted, but I've come to realize that I'm a bit of a realist when it comes to these things, always wanting it to be something you could imagine in canon. I really need to just go all out with some fluff. Hope you like it all the same though 8D  
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><p><em>Vacation Day<em>

"Nnggh..." Without opening my eyes, I stretched until a few pops assured everything was in its rightful place and opened my mouth for a wide yawn. I attempted to get up and dressed in the same fashion, until I got myself stabbed by the corner of my dresser (which thankfully was fireproof; boy was I mad at that thing). My coat lazily shrugged on and hair barely smoothed over, I trudged to the Grey Area as quickly as one can at ten in the morning- much too early to be doing anything if you ask me. Not that anyone really cares though, otherwise I would definitely not be up.

But anyway, I finally made it into the Grey Area, realized I could have just portaled in, and was about to kick the side of a couch in "anger" when I saw it.

It was beautiful. It was amazing. It was a little piece of paper crudely taped to the wall. And it had one word on it that actually mattered to me- vacation.

I stared at it in disbelief for a while, as if it was a completed Kingdom Hearts. Something that you waited and waited for, pushing on because you know it's ahead, except this- this actually came. My memories told me I should've been jumping for joy, but instead I turned around and simply walked back through the hallway with a small grin pulling at the corners of my mouth. It was strange; laughing and acting happy seemed absolutely pointless without them around.

On my way back, I ran into Roxas, who was wandering around aimlessly, probably looking for me. Not even attempting to conceal his cluelessness, he asked me what a vacation was. I mean, sure, it's kind of understandable in his case, but honestly.

So I explained to him in the simplest of words, and he only managed to look more confused. Not feeling like dealing with The Zombie, I left him to his own devices for once, pushing away the mental image of him sitting on the clocktower with three ice creams, all alone and looking all sad...

Nah, he's not that clueless. He'll find something to do.

"Time to sleep," I announced grandly no one in particular and headed off back to bed.

_xxx_

"Axel," someone whispered. I barely heard it, but I chose to ignore it. I could sense someone standing over me.

"Axel," whoever it was whined quietly, and I saw an image of blue eyes and pouting lips behind my closed eyelids- not something I felt like waking up to on a vacation of all days. Don't make eye contact; don't even get up...

"Axel!"

I groaned and rolled over, rubbing my eyes and squinting in the sudden dull white.

"Nnh?" I gave an unintelligible, grumpy grumble.

"Will you help me train?" Whoever it was poked my side gently and continued whispering, which was completely pointless considering I was already awake.

"But I'm tired..." I sounded like a little kid, but I couldn't have cared less. I rolled over and buried my face my pillow.

"Ok..." I could almost feel the poorly contained disappointment as if it were a tangible thing. There was the sense of a portal opening, to somewhere I guessed was Halloween Town, and within moments I was alone again. I had half expected a retort, but instead they had left without another complaint- and there were only two people I knew who would actually listen to me the first time around without any bribes or threats, and one of them would definitely not be training out of choice.

I forced myself up and used the momentum to swing my legs out from under the blankets. Running my hands through my hair slowly, I groaned.

"Man, now I feel bad." There it was, "feel." Guilt. But of course, it wasn't real or anything. Just the ghost of a memory, right? I pushed away my questions, rhetorical or not.

"I guess I should go see her..." I digressed reluctantly to no one. Sighing, I pulled my coat on over my pajamas (basically a plain t-shirt and boxers) and dragged myself through a portal.

It was suddenly dark with a normal, waxing moon casting dim white light over an eerie plaza and the few scattered -and swirly? I never understood those weird things- hills dotting the background. I had always liked Halloween Town; it meant pranks and candy and fun all year round, though the candy department was severely lacking there.

I stalked around grumpily, pretending to myself that I really didn't care about disappointing anyone, but lying to yourself is much more difficult than lying to someone else. At least that's how it's been for me the past ten years.

A piercing scream ripped through the air, interrupting my thoughts. It was that kind of bloodcurdling scream that makes you want to clutch your own head in agony for whoever it was and drag your nails across a chalkboard because even that would drown out the scream. Unfortunately, I recognized the scream. Anyone could tell it was out of place considering that all the residents there would rather have laughed or shrieked in delight at a scary sight.

"Xion, where are you!" I yelled, running in the direction of the scream as I summoned my chakrams.

Battle cries and panicked slashing came to my ears from the nearby clearing. I finally came to it to find a giant Leechgrave looming over me, its tentacle-claws rooted all over like the weed you just couldn't get rid of.

Xion was on the ground, unsuccessfully trying to push herself up to avoid being stabbed or eaten by the stupid things. She barely rolled over in time to dodge one aimed right at where her heart was (and yes, was, not "was supposed to be", don't try to convince me otherwise. I know better now).

"Xion, are you crazy?" I jumped over, smacked the darn thing with a chakram, and scooped her up under my other arm. I kneeled behind a rock, the sewer water coming up to my ankles. I was sure to keep her out of the water.

"Axel... What are you doing here?" she groaned quietly.

"I'd like to ask you the same thing! What were you thinking, taking on a Leechgrave by yourself?" I practically yelled at her, and she winced not at the pain of her wounds but at my words. I recoiled at the fearful expression on her face and tried to soften my voice while keeping the same level of urgency in it. The Leechgrave continued slamming into the back of the rock, showering us with a hail of pebbles. "Xion, no one's successfully taken out one of those things alone. This is more like a suicide mission than a training mission."

"S-sorry..." she managed. I smiled a tiny bit, albeit wryly.

"Tch. Xion, you've got to stop doing crazy th-" I saw her terrified look before I even felt anything. Suddenly there was a huge gash in my coat, in my side, but I didn't really feel anything. All I saw was huge amounts of blood being dumped out of my side, and I could only wonder why Nobodies really bled at all before the pain hit me.

Sure, Nobodies don't feel emotional pain, but of course physical pain was left behind as a sick consolation for our lost hearts. Though as big an inconvenience as it was, every time I would get frozen with round of Blizzards from a Blue Rhapsody, or get lit up by a barrage of Thunders from a Yellow Opera, or whatever else, at least I'd know there was still some part of me left to feel something.

But anyway, back to me being in excruciating pain. I can tell you that this time I sure was wishing I couldn't feel anything at all.

"Axel, are you alright?" Xion was struggling to sit up in my involuntarily shaking arms as I forced myself to stay upright.

Did it _look_ like I was fine? If she had been Roxas, I definitely would've asked her that. But she was Xion, and, you know, you don't just get mad at Xion like that. Girls are just that way, saying pointless things to make you feel better or to check if you're ok when even they know it's pointless, but it makes you feel a little better that they care enough to ask.

"Just- just open a corridor, ok? Make sure you... that you get yourself out of here first," I said, trying to keep my voice level so she would listen and not worry. It didn't work.

"Y-you'll be fine Axel, come on..."

My vision was hazed over, but I could tell she was panicked, like she had absolutely no idea what to do. She was pulling at my coat feebly as if it would get me somewhere, trying to stay calm the way I would in a situation like that. It struck me I was on the ground, one side of my face wet from the stagnant water. The Leechgrave was still trying to get another blow at us, but Xion had somehow managed to drag me just far enough away so it couldn't reach us.

"O-open a corridor," I managed out. "Just get out of here."

"I can't leave you here!" She hooked both of her arms under mine and inch by inch pulled me toward the dark corridor she had summoned. Maybe it was because of sheer will on her part or me being so thin, but she somehow got me all the way through and into the Grey Area, even onto the _nearest__ couch_. I don't know how she did it.

"I need hi-potions, megalixers, something!" I heard her yell in panic as she all but assaulted the cloaked Moogle hovering by the exit.

'_She__ must've __run __out __fighting__ that__ thing,_' I thought vaguely. '_Hopefully__ she's__ not__ hurt__ either._'

"Kupo, kupo, what's the rush?"

"My friend's hurt and he needs them! I promise I'll pay you, just please give me whatever you can!"

"Anything for one of my loyal customers, kupo."

Xion came back with a huge armful of jangling potions, the various liquids swirling around and making a blurry mess of colors to my eyes. I blinked, and the next moment one was at my lips. I could feel it running down my face as it trembled in her hands, and I forced myself to take a swallow despite my constricted throat and unresponsive body.

When it had run out, most of it all over the couch, she had another already in my mouth, the bitter medicine biting at my dry tongue.

"I- I'm fine," I spluttered, trying to fend off the bottle. The taste of blood came up to mingle with the medicine, a nasty combination.

"Axel, but you're still-"

"It's ok, I've stopped bleeding, it's nothing to worry about." My voice was even again. I wasn't lying; I could tell the blood had stopped coming. It was still caked to the side of my cloak and stomach, though. "I'll just-"

I started to sit up, but I fell back in pain, letting out a hiss of air. "Ow."

"Stay here." Xion gave me the look and hurried away into another corridor. When she came back, she had an assortment of towels in her arms. All I knew was that the others definitely would not appreciate finding their towels covered in blood, but I didn't complain.

"Just try not to move, ok?"

She reached forward with a damp towel but stopped herself halfway, biting her lip and frowning. For a little while she just stood there awkwardly, and I could see ideas running through her head but never coming into action. A look of enlightenment would cross her face, and she'd lean forward like she was about to do something, but then she would fall back with a slight frown and evasive look.

"What are you... Oh." Injuries generally happened on skin, this one in particular on my stomach, which probably meant I would have to take my shirt off. Rolling my eyes to cover up my embarrassment, I yanked the zipper of my coat down to where the top of my boxers were showing. She was blushing fiercely as she slid a towel under my shirt and proceeded to clean off all the dried blood. She at least didn't seem too perturbed considering my shirt was still on, but of course it was still pretty awkward.

I closed my eyes and let out a long breath of air through my mouth. Man, all that excitement on my day off, of all days, was making me sleepy... I cracked an eye open to see if she was done yet. There was no blood, but a jagged rip trailed from the center of my stomach, to my side, and out of my line of sight. "That thing got me through the stomach too? No wonder it hurt so bad... Xion?"

She was trembling again as she pulled the towel away and dropped it into the pile of dirty towels on the ground. Trying to hide her face beneath her bangs, she sniffled sharply.

"Xi, what's wrong?" I asked in alarm, wanting to stand up but only managing to roll over somewhat. She cried quietly into her hands as her shoulders shook. One thing I knew- I had never seen her cry. I didn't know she _could_ cry. She wasn't _supposed _to cry. And on top of that, I hated when girls cried. But after knowing those two, I supposed it was possible somehow.

"I'm so stupid! I could have- have used magic, I wasn't thinking at all, a-and if it had b-been any worse, y-you could've _died_, and it would have been m-my fault..." She rubbed at her eyes feebly as the tears ran over her fingers and knuckles. "And, and I k-kept thinking that if you did die, I wouldn't know what to do, b-because you're always there for us, and-"

Suddenly Xion flung herself at me (Which hurt. A lot.), and she clung to me with fierce tenacity. Her face was buried in the folds of my shirt, right against my chest. I could even feel her tears through it.

"Xion..." I wrapped my arms around her tightly. She was so small and fit perfectly in them. She was just so tiny in comparison to six foot something me, I could never get over it. But I liked being bigger, because then I felt stronger, like I really could protect those two no matter what. "Never, ever think like that, you hear me? Nothing would ever take me from you guys that easy. Long as you try your best to stay out of trouble, I'll try my best not to get myself killed."

Xion didn't respond, but her grip was still firm around me. I wished I could have promised her that I'd always be fine, but with the kind of life we led, it would be a difficult promise to keep. Promises are dangerous things.

"But no matter what happens to me, I'll always make sure you're safe- got it memorized?" It was a lot to say, especially for me.

"Xion?"

There was a small snore from her. She had fallen asleep. Fallen asleep. I spill my guts over this, literally, and she had fallen asleep. I sighed deeply.

'_I__ suppose_ now _I__ can__ get __some__ sleep_.'

I started to shift, attempting to maneuver out of her arms, but the pain in my side caused me to wince and fall back. Well, it was comfortable... not that it was particularly enjoyable, you know, like- nevermind.

'_Well__ this__ doesn__'__t__ look__ bad __at __all,__' _I thought dryly. I could only imagine the faces of the others if they came by.

"Thanks, Axel..." Xion mumbled sleepily. I cracked a small grin. Even in her sleep, she could still make me smile. I chuckled as I began to drift off into sleep as well.

"Xion, you've gotta stop doing crazy things..."

_xxx_

"Axel went somewhere. He went to sleep."

"Hahaha! What kind of vacation is that?" Xion giggled as they both laughed at my expense. Apparently she didn't want to talk much about earlier. Guess that's ok, because I didn't feel much like it either. Girls... Talk about confusing.

"Hey, unlike you two lazybones, I work myself pretty hard!" I grinned over at them, playing along.

"Hah, maybe you're just out of shape," she teased. I let it slide, considering what had happened earlier. Really, she had just saved my life.

We stared out at the sunset for a while, just taking a few bites from our ice creams.

"Tomorrow, it's back to work."

"Yeah..." For a guy who couldn't figure how people held onto their sanity through an entire month of vacation, Roxas seemed awfully bummed.

Xion let a little sigh escape her lips.

"Hope we get another vacation soon."

_xxx_

"Man..." I stretched as I dragged myself through the door to my room. "What a day. Well, you know what they say- you could never have too much..."

I noticed there was something sticking halfway out beneath my pillow. "...sleep."

Sliding it out from under the pillow, I brought it up to my curious eyes.

"Xigbar... You are so dead!" I roared. I'm pretty sure the entire castle heard me. There was a little note stuck to the back as well.

_Axel,_

_Next time you think about stealing people's food from the fridge, just remember your vacation day. _

_:)  
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That man and his blackmail! And I didn't know that was his...

The picture fluttered to the floor, and I snatched it up in rage, ready to shred it to pieces. I almost did, but I stopped short when I went to look at it again.

I couldn't just rip it up. In truth, it was the only vacation day I had ever spent with someone other than sleep. Even if it got me almost killed. And blackmailed. But the funniest thing was, I didn't really mind at all. Falling asleep on the couches finally had a little bit of meaning.

I slipped it into a hidden pocket of my coat, a commemoration of our first and last vacation day.

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><p><em>Blehh I feel bad now. I might make a part two because it probably didn't satisfy you. :C<em>

_I just love hurting the poor guy, don't I? XD_

_Well, Jordan out~ /flees  
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